#1132 2025 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix

There is great anticipation for Franco Colapinto’s return to Formula 1, as he replaces Jack Doohan in the Alpine team ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. The Argentine driver, who had shown flashes of his talent towards the end of the 2024 World Championship, will have a second opportunity in Formula 1 starting with this sporting event. Italy will once again be the one to welcome him (or rather, to welcome him back) to the Circus: last year it happened in Monza, and this time in Imola. Ahead of the Grand Prix, which will take place on the banks of the Santerno River, the Argentine driver downplays expectations for his performance, stating that the priority will be to get used to the A525 and the rhythms - including the physical demands - imposed by Formula 1. A process that will take time to perfect, but Colapinto hopes to be at a good level already by Imola.

"Obviously, being sidelined at the end of 2024 wasn’t pleasant, but it made me reflect and learn. I’m happy to be back. It’s never nice when you step in for another driver, but you can’t choose when you enter Formula 1. I have to do my best, trying to contribute as much as I can to the team with my work. I’ve been doing some simulator work for the team in recent days. I’ve also been trackside, trying to help the team develop the car. This has helped me a lot to get to know the car better. It’s a big change to move from one team to another, so this work I’ve done has been really useful. After the announcement, we’ve worked even more intensely on the simulator: it’s been a while since my last race weekend, so I might be a bit rusty, but I think I’ll have to catch up very quickly if I want to be competitive. My goals for this weekend are to focus on myself. It will be very complicated to have expectations because I still have no experience with this car, and there’s a lot to learn. But we’ve already made some first steps, and I think I can reach a decent level by Sunday. First of all, I want to focus on the basics, and I’m not expecting any specific results. The performance of each team is so close that it changes from track to track. It depends on how strong each team is at each circuit. On Friday, we hope to get an idea of our level, but we still need to work a lot with the team. The goal is first and foremost to start off on the right foot, to find performance, and to achieve the goal of scoring points consistently".

This is certainly not the only news that changes the direction of the Alpine team, as on Thursday, May 8, 2025, at 9:11 p.m., it was announced that the team principal of the French team, Oliver Oakes, resigned with immediate effect. The news was communicated by the Enstone team with a brief statement released via social media. Just a few lines announcing the departure of the youngest team principal in Formula 1, who had taken office during the summer of 2024. In his place, for the moment, Flavio Briatore will step in. The Italian manager thus becomes, in effect, the absolute boss of the team, even at a formal level, since he already held the role of Executive Advisor, which he will not relinquish.

"The BWT Alpine Formula One Team announces that Oliver Oakes has resigned from his role as Team Principal. The team has accepted his resignation with immediate effect. Starting today, Flavio Briatore will continue in his role as Executive Advisor and will also take on the responsibilities previously held by Oliver Oakes. The team wishes to thank Oliver for his commitment since joining the team last summer and for his contribution to helping the team secure 6th place in the 2024 Constructors’ Championship. The team will not be making further comments".

Oakes’ resignation came as a bolt from the blue, as there had been no signs of internal disputes within the team that could have led to such a break. However, the absence of a press conference by Oakes in Miami now takes on a very different connotation. In these days at Alpine, it was expected - and almost considered certain by all media outlets - that Franco Colapinto would be promoted to the role of official driver, replacing Jack Doohan, after the Australian’s unsatisfactory start to the season. Since the Colapinto-Doohan substitution was just a matter of when and not if, the timing of Oakes’ resignation was very suspicious, and it seemed logical to assume that the decision was rooted in disagreements over the management of the second driver position with Alpine’s super consultant, Flavio Briatore. However, the Italian manager denies this theory, stressing that the British manager’s decision was based on personal reasons.

"A lot has been said in the last 24 hours, and Oliver’s decision to resign has been wrongly linked to a supposed disagreement or the fact that we had differing views. This is completely false and far from the truth. Oliver and I have a great relationship, and we both had long-term ambitions to grow this team together. We respect his request to resign, and therefore we have accepted it. The reasons are not related to the team and are of a personal nature. I will continue to be more and more involved with the team, alongside the strong management we already have. We will work hard to improve our position this season and to prepare for 2026".

Oakes also shared some words about his decision:

"It has been a privilege to lead everyone at Enstone. What a team, what a place. My resignation is a personal decision. Flavio has been like a father to me; he has supported me since I took this position, and he himself gave me this opportunity. Everyone is in place for 2026. I believe in Enstone".

Looking ahead to the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Oscar Piastri is one of the stars of the FIA press conference on Thursday, May 15, 2025, where he attends as the leader of the World Championship with four wins out of six races and a 16-point lead over his teammate, Lando Norris:

"I went to collect the Bandini award, a unique experience, especially for the number of fans I met, and to say that I’m not even a Ferrari driver. It was very special. What we’re experiencing is very rewarding. Winning is beautiful, but achieving it consistently and because you’ve worked for it has a different taste compared to winning by taking advantage of fortunate circumstances. We knew Miami could be a track particularly favorable for us, and that’s how it turned out. We already had a significant advantage over the competition in Melbourne in the wet, and in Miami, with the high temperatures, we could maximize our strengths. The Imola track is completely different; it’s extremely fast, then it will be colder, and the asphalt is much more irregular. I expect the competitors to be much closer, and they were ahead of us in qualifying even in Miami".

After winning the Australian Grand Prix, Lando Norris’ path seemed entirely favorable. However, the British driver has had to contend with doubts, which inevitably lead to misjudgments between qualifying and the race. Starting from the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, which takes place on the Imola circuit, Lando Norris wants to recover part of the 16-point gap that separates him from Oscar Piastri in the standings, even though he doesn’t show it in words. To do so, he will need to improve his performance in qualifying, as this year he has particularly underperformed on Saturdays, and the Imola circuit is historically difficult for overtaking.

"The World Championship? I don’t care about that right now; I probably won’t think about it until the summer. Oscar has done a good job, but at the same time, I don’t feel like I’ve gotten the best out of myself. Even if I were racing alone, I still wouldn’t be happy. If you have a good teammate, you’ll always perform better as a driver. It’s nice; we push each other in every free practice session, every qualifying session, every race. There’s good competition between us. We both recognize that we want to beat each other, and I think that’s what makes us good teammates. We’ve seen from the beginning of the season that Red Bull and Mercedes are not far off, and both have beaten us in qualifying a few times. They’re doing a good job, but I think it’s clear we’re doing a better job. They have updates, and they talk a lot, but at the end of the day, we just need to do a good job on Sunday. McLaren’s strengths? A lot of people always talk about the tires, but it’s not just about that. There are many things we do well, including the car’s balance and performance. We just need to keep focusing on our work. We haven’t had updates or big improvements, like other teams have. We take our time and make sure we do things our way. Our clear advantage at the moment is on Sundays, but everyone is closing in on us in qualifying: we need to improve on Saturdays, and we’re trying to work as much as possible on that".

Oakes also shared some words about his decision:

At the Imola circuit, Max Verstappen, the Dutch driver, has consistently claimed victory in recent years. After securing pole position in Jeddah and Miami, he hopes to repeat the feat in Italy:

"This week I was back at the factory with the team on the simulator, which was positive. The team has been working very hard and we need to start strong right away. Imola is an iconic, old-school track, very technical, and I always enjoy racing here. Overtaking is difficult, so qualifying will be crucial. This weekend marks the 400th race for the team. We've achieved milestones to be proud of and broken many records, but of course, we want to keep pushing for more".

The Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix could also be a great opportunity for Yuki Tsunoda to secure his first significant result with the Red Bull Racing car, on a track he knows very well. Like Verstappen, the Japanese driver will also have the upgrades that were initially installed only on the Dutchman's car in Miami:

"Italy has been my home for a long time now, and with such a packed schedule during the season, I really appreciate the time I can spend here. After Miami, we knew we had to work on improving the car. We need a more balanced vehicle to compete, and I know how important it is for me to push to reach the top positions. We've introduced some updates at Imola that should bring positive improvements".

For many reasons, the Miami Grand Prix was the worst race for Lewis Hamilton with the Ferrari team - not so much in terms of results, but in the relationship with the team. The British driver and the team had two weeks to clear the air, and it was important to do so - especially considering the technical updates the Maranello team wanted to bring to Imola. As for the developments being introduced to the SF-25 during the Imola-Monte Carlo-Montmeló triple-header, Hamilton is cautious. However, he denies rumors suggesting he's already working on a new rear suspension:

"I don’t know what people are talking about. I'm not doing any work on the rear suspension. As I said, between now and Montmeló we’ll try to unlock some performance we haven’t yet been able to access. We’re following our plan. Hopefully, we can get at least something more than we did in the last race. In Spain, everyone will have to fit a different front wing. It’ll be interesting to see how it affects the grid - we won’t know until we get there. The car still has a lot of performance we haven’t been able to unlock. I hope this week we can begin to take at least a step in that direction. There is one problem in particular with the car, probably the most significant one, and that’s what we’re trying to fix. But there are also other related issues that ultimately cost us time. At the moment, I know of some things in the pipeline, but I can’t say whether we’ll be able to gain four tenths, half a second, or a full second by the end of the season. We can’t close the door to any ideas - we have to keep our eyes open and our heads held high. We have to keep pushing with the expectation and goal of winning. That’s the goal every weekend: when I sit down with the engineers, I ask how we’re going to win this weekend. Maybe I’m a bit too optimistic, but that’s the mindset you need. You have to approach each race positively and aggressively. I’m not going into this weekend thinking we’ll be seventh or eighth - even if that’s where we are. And I will change that mindset".

However, the season's expectations were different, with the excitement of Ferrari fans ignited in Piazza Castello in Milan by the promise of fighting for both titles. Hamilton is realistic about this but still hopeful of turning the tables against McLaren, currently the dominant force:

"I think it’s very difficult to imagine getting close to McLaren. We beat them in one race, but right now that’s the limit of what we can do. I believe the car's performance allows us to compete with Mercedes and Red Bull, but many factors contribute to the result. If the car is twitchy and the window is narrow, it’s almost impossible to stay in it".

So he adds:

"That’s what we need to work on - making the car easier and more enjoyable to drive. I didn’t expect an easier start to the season. I expected it to be very tough because I’ve already been through this situation with Mercedes. I knew it would be challenging. It’s one of the most difficult things imaginable, on all fronts, but I think we’re working well together. Championship? There’s still a long way to go. But if you consider our current performance, and based on all the years of experience, when you’re over 100 points behind a fairly dominant car at this stage of the season, you have to assume you’re not in the title fight. But things could change".

In the days leading up to the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, there’s been talk about a potential new rear suspension being fitted on the Ferrari cars. But once again, expectations are not met. On the matter, Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur remains cautious:

"We’re at a point where it’s difficult to bring major updates to the car because after four years with the same regulations, we’re fighting over details. The bigger development will likely come in Spain, where there will be a clear rules change with a completely new front wing. And that could change the face of the championship a bit. We’re waiting for that moment".

For Vasseur, a reshuffle in the competitive order may be coming:

"It could be an immediate reset, even if not in terms of the championship. Whoever is leading before Spain will still be leading after. But if we’re talking pure performance, it could shake things up".

Following Ferrari’s disappointing result in Miami, there was much talk about the heated team radio exchanges between the drivers and engineers. Communications were particularly complicated and managed to frustrate both Leclerc and Hamilton, due to timing and tone. However, Frederic Vasseur denies any tension with Hamilton over the sarcastic radio messages:

"I’m not angry about it, as long as we can talk things through properly afterward. We must remember that the drivers are on the radio while driving at 330 km/h between walls in Miami, under pressure to perform. Sometimes they’re unhappy with their position, the strategy, or the balance, and they’re live in front of millions of people. For me, the most important thing is the content of the debriefing".

Vasseur also defends the British driver for recent performances:

"The car is not at the level we expected. Compared to last year, we’re not in an ideal situation. That makes it even harder for a new driver to adapt to the car. We’re improving our mutual understanding - not just with me, but also with the technical side. We’re heading in the right direction, and I’m quite confident for the future".

On Friday, May 16, 2025, several cars peel out onto the track as the session gets underway in dry and sunny conditions at 1:30 p.m. local time, with a returning name amongst these as Franco Colapinto heads out in the Alpine, the Argentinian having been brought in to replace Jack Doohan for the next five races. While Colapinto bolts on the medium C5 tyres for his initial runs, the majority of the field opts for the softs on a weekend that marks the debut appearance in 2025 of the C6 compound. Amongst those running the soft rubber is Charles Leclerc, the Monegasque back in action after missing Thursday’s media activities due to feeling unwell.

There is an early incident for Leclerc when the Ferrari driver finds himself in the way of Fernando Alonso, leading to the Aston Martin man - who takes victory at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari 20 years ago - reporting that he nearly crashes with the SF-25. The drama isn’t over there for Leclerc, who soon finds himself dipping a wheel in the gravel at Turn 15 after a bit of a moment through Turn 14. Norris, meanwhile, sets the early pace during the first quarter of the session, the McLaren man leading the way on a 1'17"125. As the track continues to evolve and the times quickly tumble, George Russell goes quickest by the halfway point with his effort of 1'16"599, the Mercedes driver heading the timesheets from Sainz and home favourite Kimi Antonelli. More drama comes in the dying minutes of FP1 as Gabriel Bortoleto crashes out of the session, the Kick Sauber driver running over the kerbs before hitting the barriers at Turn 18 to bring out the red flags. The incident brings an early finish to everybody’s running, with Piastri remaining on top thanks to his effort of 1'16"545 to go just 0.032s clear of Norris in second. Sainz and Russell are close behind in third and fourth respectively, the top four separated by less than six-hundredths of a second. Hamilton takes fifth after a seemingly tricky session for Ferrari, while Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, Verstappen, Albon, Bortoleto and the other Kick Sauber of Nico Hulkenberg round out the top 10.

Meanwhile, there is an unusual problem for Leclerc, who states that helmet lift is horrible as he struggles with his lid, while teammate Lewis Hamilton looks to be fighting with the Ferrari, the Briton reporting that the car does not want to slow down. With most of the field completing soft-shod runs as the session progresses, the McLaren pair of Piastri and Norris move themselves to the top of the order in a 1-2 formation ahead of Russell on an increasingly busy track. Many look to be pushing hard in the closing stages, with Alex Albon having some dramatic moments as his Williams bounces over the kerbs and takes a brief trip through the gravel on a weekend where the squad hopes to continue their recent good run of form. There is also a slide for Max Verstappen, the Dutchman appearing frustrated at the wheel of the Red Bull. The drivers and teams now regroup in the paddock to examine their data and prepare for Friday’s second Free Practice session, which is due to get underway at 5:00 p.m. local time. In dry and sunny conditions at 5:00 p.m. local time, all drivers take to the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari circuit in the opening minutes during a one-hour session that offers the best representation of conditions ahead of Qualifying on Saturday. Norris moves to the top of the times on the medium tyre after the first set of runs, his 1m 16.074s already nearly half a second faster than teammate Piastri's best from the opening session on the soft compound. Traffic proves to be a tricky affair for teams and drivers to manage around the narrow circuit from the outset, Fernando Alonso claiming:

"I nearly crash".

After slamming on the brakes into the opening turn as Franco Colapinto's Alpine emerges from the pits. Carlos Sainz becomes the first driver to dip below the 1m 16s barrier after 10 minutes, which moves him just ahead of Williams teammate Alex Albon, before both drivers are shuffled back a spot by Norris, who lowers the benchmark to a 1'15"952. George Russell becomes the first driver to bolt on a set of soft tyres, the C6 rubber the softest in Pirelli's range and making its debut this weekend for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, with the Mercedes driver launching to the top of the times on a 1'15"693 approaching the 20-minute mark. The majority of the field soon follows his lead and bolts on the red-walled tyre, Max Verstappen falling short of the Briton's best by just 0.042s and complaining of bottoming quite hard through Turns 11 and 12, as the second Red Bull of Yuki Tsunoda slots into third briefly. It is short-lived as Norris asserts himself back at the top of the times with a 1'15"318 before Piastri lowers the benchmark to a 1'15"293 inside the first half an hour. A second attempt for Norris to usurp his teammate is thwarted as he suffers a snap of oversteer at the final corner having set a personal best in sector one and session best in sector two. Thereafter, the second half of the session consists of race runs using the medium tyre before a red flag is deployed with six minutes remaining. Hadjar finds the gravel on the exit of the Tamburello Chicane and, despite hitting the barrier, moves his Racing Bulls machine back to the edge of the circuit before becoming beached. The session resumes with less than two minutes remaining, leaving Piastri to head Norris as McLaren completes a perfect Friday of running.

Pierre Gasly's Alpine impresses again by finishing third from Russell, Verstappen and Charles Leclerc, the Ferrari driver complaining of braking problems with his SF-25 along with teammate Lewis Hamilton throughout the session. The Briton, who eventually finishes 11th, struggles to tame his Ferrari which includes a huge oversteer moment at the first chicane on his opening flying lap, while the seven-time World Champion also finds traffic numerous times. His replacement at Mercedes, Kimi Antonelli, also has a close call with Tsunoda on the run down the hill to Rivazza 1, claiming over the radio:

"That is super dangerous from the Red Bull".

The young Italian is left in 18th, as Hadjar finishes the session as top rookie in seventh despite his off ahead of Tsunoda as Albon and Sainz complete the top 10. At Imola, Oscar Piastri demonstrates that he has made a significant leap in quality, finishing at the top in both Free Practice sessions. The Australian driver beats Lando Norris by a handful of milliseconds: 0.032s in the morning, 0.025s in the afternoon. Barely noticeable, but enough to create even more doubts in the mind of the British driver.

"Everything went smoothly, definitely. There are a few things we want to work on to improve them, it wasn't a perfect Friday, but everything went pretty smoothly. There are some things to adjust, but overall it wasn't too bad. Saturday has been crucial in almost every race this year, and for sure, Imola’s qualifying is especially important, more than other tracks. However, I don't think the fight is just between Lando and me, others can fight tomorrow too, we need to keep our heads down and try to find even more performance".

There are also important technical updates for the Red Bull Racing cars during this weekend at Imola. The Anglo-Austrian team arrives at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix trying to counter McLaren's dominance and keep the title fight alive. Essentially, the RB21 now has a significant package of updates, with the team's hope being that it will boost competitiveness and meet Max Verstappen's demands, which up until now have remained unmet. However, the Dutch driver’s first impressions do not seem promising. At least, judging by his comments after the first two Free Practice sessions; in FP1, the World Champion only managed P7, finishing in the top 5 at the end of FP2. More than the results, Verstappen highlighted his dissatisfaction:

"Today we tried many things. Some worked better than others, but in the end, we weren't fast enough. Qualifying will be important and, right now, we're not yet in a good place. We need to work a bit more to get a better balance on the car and go faster. The same goes for the long runs, I was passed by the McLarens, and we weren’t where we wanted to be compared to the other teams. Overall, today was a bit tough".

Despite being aware of the car’s driving difficulties, Yuki Tsunoda seems slightly more optimistic about what might come during the weekend:

"Overall, it was a positive practice day. We know our limits, and it was good to do our first long run with the new update package today, but tomorrow we need to get things right. We still have a lot of work to do as a team, and we’ll try to put everything together tomorrow. The gap to McLaren is still there, but we’ll focus on our side to keep improving and on what we need to do to make a step forward for qualifying".

Charles Leclerc is feeling better, after not attending the media day on Thursday due to some flu-like symptoms. The Monegasque driver still had a slight fever when he hit the track. However, he may be motivated by a car that seems to be delivering good race pace results. Imola is a track where track position is more important than the numbers you see on the monitor, because passing will be difficult for everyone, especially if there’s a lot of leveling between cars (McLaren aside). Leclerc says that Ferrari does have a good race pace (compared to Mercedes and Red Bull), but it won't be useful unless they can find more performance on the fast lap during qualifying.

"I think, once again, we're fast in the race. The problem is that, especially on a track like this, if we’re not fast in qualifying, race pace will be very hard to use. It's not that we have a huge advantage on race pace, and on Sunday, for sure, the gaps will be smaller than they are now. Are we with Mercedes and Red Bull on the fast lap? Yes, but then, in qualifying, they always seem to find something we don’t. Unfortunately, for now, I think we’re back in this situation, but I don’t want to be pessimistic. I hope we’ll make a step forward tomorrow with the car, and that the situation will turn around: if they’re ahead of us on Saturday, it’ll be too difficult to pass them in the race, it’s in qualifying that we need to make a step forward, because we can’t expect miracles or something special on Sunday".

For Leclerc, it would be a positive day if his Ferrari were in the second row. Anything more would require what he calls - once again - a miracle:

"It’s tough to say, but honestly, I feel like the first row will be very difficult. The second row will already be a great result for us, because right now, we’re more looking at the third row if everything goes well. The goal is to do the best we can, and I hope we can do a miracle and even be in the first row. But if the second row is what we can reach, then let’s take it. The issues entering corners at Turn 5, 9, and 11? I can’t comment. There’s something that makes it difficult for us, but I can’t say more".

At Imola, Lewis Hamilton received a warm welcome from the fans and had a day with mixed results. In the morning, the British driver was a standout performer, finishing just shy of Oscar Piastri’s time, but in the afternoon, he struggled to find performance on the fast lap from the SF-25, although he showed good race pace.

"The first session was positive, the balance was good, and there didn’t seem to be much to change ahead of the next session. But the second practice session was more challenging because I struggled to find consistency. We’ll analyze the data tonight, but we completed the program, including the long runs, so we have a good amount of information to work with".

George Russell ended his day with a double fourth place, both in FP1 and in the more significant afternoon session. In FP2, the big surprise was the Alpine team, particularly Pierre Gasly, who finished third, ahead of the Mercedes driver, but behind the McLarens. The McLaren drivers, who have dominated the first part of the season, are, according to George Russell, favorites for success in the first European Grand Prix of 2025:

"There were some surprises. Gasly did a really great lap. Overall, there was a lot of degradation since we had the new tires with the softer compounds for the first time this year. That shook things up a bit, but we know that McLaren generally seems to extend their advantage in these conditions. I had Oscar in my sights, and then... I didn’t have him anymore. Then he passed Max and pulled away".

The Mercedes driver continues with a joke, recounting this curious episode that happened during FP2 when the trio was simulating race pace. The challenge, then, seems to be once again about who’s the first of the rest:

"As a team, we know we’re battling with Max and the Ferraris. We’re probably closer on qualifying pace than we are on race pace. We need to be consistent and take the points when we can. It’s great to be back in Imola, this track is beautiful and very fun to drive".

If you only look at the timesheet, Andrea Kimi Antonelli's first home weekend in Formula 1 couldn’t have started worse, as he finished FP2 in P18. However, the young Italian talent from Mercedes didn’t manage to do a proper time attack, leaving the pursuit of a fast lap behind to focus on race pace simulation during the second part of the session.

"Aside from the traffic, I made a mistake on my first lap with the Soft tires in FP2, and after the second lap, the tire was gone, also because I couldn’t cool it down. When I started the lap, it was already too hot, so there was no grip. So, the qualifying lap today was a bit of a mess, but I know where I need to improve for tomorrow".

However, Antonelli also highlights the positives from today’s session:

"I’m happy with the long run, because it seemed like the pace was good. Now we need to fix the qualifying: when you don’t do clean runs, it’s not ideal, especially looking towards tomorrow, but still, the feeling is good, and I know where I need to improve. I’ll try to do my best tomorrow".

After two busy sessions at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari on Friday - featuring several incidents of traffic - the drivers head out again at 12:30 p.m. local time on Saturday for a last opportunity to fine-tune their cars ahead of a crucial Qualifying later in the day. Norris is the first to briefly hit the track after the green light is displayed in a quiet start to FP3, the McLaren driver completing an out lap to give the hard tyre its debut running of the weekend. And while many seem content to wait it out in their respective garages, other cars slowly begin to emerge onto the circuit as the session gets going. Lewis Hamilton joins those making an early appearance on track, the seven-time World Champion perhaps keen to test the feel of the Ferrari after both he and teammate Charles Leclerc struggle with braking issues on Friday. The Briton also sets an initial benchmark in the process, sitting top on a lap of 1m 15.866s. As the session nears its halfway point and the action picks up, there’s an eye-catching display from Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar, the Frenchman making up for the disappointment of his FP2 spin by slotting into P1 on the timesheets via an effort of 1'15"508, just 0.021s ahead of Leclerc in P2. Things are not going quite so well for his teammate Liam Lawson, however, who suffers a 360-degree spin that looks to ruin his medium tyres. Elsewhere in the Red Bull stable, Verstappen goes fastest on a 1'15"130, leading from Norris and Hadjar. There’s a bit of a moment in the pit lane as Hadjar prepares to complete a practice start near the exit - only for the Williams of Carlos Sainz to appear in the fast lane, resulting in a close call between them. Hadjar subsequently apologises over the radio. With attentions for many turning to the soft-shod flying runs, George Russell runs wide out on track before reporting:

"This ride is definitely a bit worse today".

The Mercedes man is not the only one to have a wobble, with Verstappen and Piastri also making mistakes during their laps. Elsewhere, Yuki Tsunoda does not seem happy at the wheel of the Red Bull, the Japanese driver radioing in that he has absolutely zero pace, while up ahead, Norris goes quickest with a time of 1'14"897. Kimi Antonelli gives his home crowd something to smile about as he improves to go fourth, having seemingly lacked pace in comparison to Russell throughout the session. Norris, meanwhile, has a trip through the gravel before making his way back to the pits. While Piastri betters his previous lap to move up to second, it’s ultimately not enough to dislodge Norris from the top, the Briton ending the session in P1 thanks to his earlier effort that keeps him one-tenth clear of his teammate. Verstappen follows in third - the only non-McLaren driver within two-tenths of the papaya cars - with Antonelli fourth and Leclerc fifth. Sainz puts his Williams into P6, while Hadjar, Russell, Alex Albon and Hamilton complete the top 10 order. With the last practice session of the weekend now complete, the drivers and teams have a final chance to debrief and examine their data before returning to action for Qualifying, which is set to get underway at 4:00 p.m. local time. After three practice sessions topped by McLaren, attention turns to the all-important Qualifying hour at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari - and whether anyone can get close to the papaya team’s drivers in Piastri and Norris. There is also plenty of intrigue over the tyre strategies that will be adopted across Q1, Q2 and Q3, given most drivers’ struggles to make improvements between the yellow-marked medium C5 and the red-marked soft C6 in final practice.

As the green light switches on at the end of the pit lane to mark the start of the first Qualifying phase, plenty of cars soon hit the track to get some banker laps in - a potential traffic headache on the way as the 20-strong field searches for clean air. Drama ensues only a few minutes into the session, though, when Tsunoda suffers a scary crash through the Variante Villeneuve section, causing significant damage to all four corners of his upgraded Red Bull and bringing out the red flags. Replays show the Japanese driver taking too much kerb at the entry, losing control of the car and slamming into the barriers on the outside of the track - triggering a violent barrel roll before he lands upright in the gravel trap and walks away from the scene. Following a delay for barrier repairs, Qualifying resumes with Albon provisionally leading the way on softs from Alonso, Hamilton, Sainz Jr. and Leclerc, while half of the grid - including the likes of Piastri, Norris and Verstappen - have not yet posted a lap time. When the session gets back under way, with Colapinto being noted for entering the fast lane before the resumption time is announced, fans enjoy a proper wave of green and purple sector times and the first moves from the anticipated front-runners. Verstappen continues his apparent overnight progress to go quickest from Piastri on a 1'15"175, followed by an inspired Alonso, Russell, Gasly and Norris. At the other end of the order, both Sauber drivers, Haas cars and the sidelined Tsunoda sit in the drop zone. Then comes the final, decisive sequence of runs to settle who will reach Q2, with Bortoleto the driver who manages to escape - at the expense of Lawson - before Colapinto triggers another red flag with a nasty crash of his own exiting the Tamburello chicane. Hulkenberg joins Lawson in the bottom five after running wide at Rivazza and losing a time for track limits, followed by Ocon and Bearman - who appears to get a lap in before the second red flag, only to lose it after checks - and Tsunoda. After another delay while Race Control works out whether Bearman’s final time should stand or not, Verstappen continues where he left off in Q1 by going quickest on the opening Q2 runs, before Norris and then Piastri (1'15"241) move to the fore. Russell holds fourth position from the Ferraris, with Hadjar seventh over Alonso, Sainz and Antonelli, leaving Stroll, Gasly, Albon and Bortoleto in the drop zone for the second runs - Colapinto already eliminated from the action after his Q1 off. Aston Martin opts for a different approach as the cars roll back out of the pit lane - both Alonso and Stroll emerging on sets of medium tyres, rather than softs. The remaining drivers, minus the aforementioned Colapinto, stick with the new C6 compound.

As the clock ticks down and the chequered flag comes out, Sainz delivers a magical final lap to go fastest on a 1'15"198 - putting him just ahead of Piastri, Norris, Russell and Verstappen, with the updated, medium-shod Aston Martins also safely through. This spells disaster for Ferrari drivers Leclerc and Hamilton and Mercedes rookie Antonelli, who are dramatically denied Q3 spots by Gasly, Hadjar and Albon and wind up 11th, 12th and 13th respectively, ahead of Bortoleto and Colapinto. Piastri and Norris state their intentions in the early minutes of Q3 by dipping into the 1m 14s bracket and forming a McLaren 1-2 - the Australian’s benchmark time of 1'14"821 putting him around a tenth-and-a-half up on his teammate. However, Verstappen and Red Bull mean business as well, with the reigning four-time World Champion shooting to the top of the times on a 1'14"772, and only adding to the anticipation for the final runs to the flag. When those arrive, Piastri, as he has done on so many occasions this season, hits another level to clock a 1'14"670 and edges out Verstappen, while Russell climbs to third after switching from soft tyres to mediums. Norris can only manage fourth, some three-tenths away from Piastri, with Alonso (also on mediums) taking fifth, and Williams impressing again thanks to Sainz Jr. and Albon placing P6 and P7 on the timesheets. Stroll is the third and final medium-tyre runner in Q3 in eighth, as Hadjar and Gasly complete the top 10 for Racing Bulls and Alpine after those early Qualifying exits for Ferrari and Antonelli. The magical moment for the McLaren team and Oscar Piastri continues. The Australian driver also dominates the qualifying session for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix at the Imola circuit, in a climate of disappointment for Ferrari fans due to the elimination of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton in Q2. Thanks to the fastest time set during Q3, the World Championship leader secured his third pole position of the season, positioning himself for what could become his fourth consecutive victory, equaling a record held by Ayrton Senna. Once again, a flawless performance was required to fend off attacks from Max Verstappen (who will attempt to initiate a battle right after the start to take control of the race) and to create an opportunity to extend his lead over teammate Lando Norris in the standings, who, due to a mistake in his decisive lap, ended up P4. A very positive day, therefore, for the Australian driver, although he didn't hide some minor concerns that emerged in the final moments of the session:

"It was nice, I’m happy with my lap. I think I found the rhythm in Q3. It wasn’t the easiest day, though, because I couldn't quite get a feel for the soft tires. Then in qualifying, there were a lot of red flags and delays, so it was difficult to build the rhythm. But in Q3, I felt good, and the last lap was solid. I thought I’d ruin everything at the last corner because there were some drivers starting their lap, but it was enough to take pole".

The qualifying session for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix at Imola confirms the trend seen in the first races of the season: a dominant McLaren, with Verstappen and Russell being the only ones consistently able to challenge the British team, and Oscar Piastri proving more effective than Lando Norris. For the British driver, things just aren’t going well at the moment, but McLaren team principal Andrea Stella stands by him, always careful to maintain a healthy atmosphere within the team.

"We’re at Imola, and now the focus is on the fact that Lando is in P4, but if we go back one race, who was in P4 in Miami in qualifying? It was Oscar, but I don’t think we talked much about him being in P4, and then he won the race. This is the mentality we have with Lando today".

As for Oscar Piastri’s performance, Andrea Stella highlights the significant progress the Australian driver has made in terms of performance compared to a year ago, especially in qualifying:

"I believe Oscar has some natural qualities and others that he has continued to develop throughout his career, including recently. The main step Oscar has taken, compared to last season, is pure speed - he’s a faster driver. This doesn’t mean, as I said before, that he can’t find himself in situations like the qualifying in Miami, where he loses his rhythm".

Finally, since McLaren's weakness seems to be the fast lap, the team principal announces updates that could make rivals tremble:

"I believe that as a team, we have some areas to improve on the car. We identified them almost immediately during testing to make the car easier to handle at the limit in qualifying. This will be an advantage for Oscar and also for Lando".

In the end, Max Verstappen only narrowly missed pole position. By just 0.034 seconds, Oscar Piastri managed to beat him. Therefore, the starting grid could give more than just a clue as to how the race might unfold, especially since the Imola circuit is one of those tracks where overtaking is extremely difficult with these wide and long Formula 1 cars. It’s also for this reason that the reigning World Champion doesn't seem particularly confident about his chances of winning the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix.

"Winning tomorrow? Well, maybe if everyone in front of me retires, because we’re simply not fast enough. I think my lap went quite well, but it's very difficult to maintain a constant balance every lap, every corner. It’s been tough, we’re working on it, we’re trying to improve. The car, however, feels more comfortable than before, and I can attack the corners with more confidence. Sometimes, though, it’s as if I’m not getting the responses I expect from the car, which makes every corner pretty difficult".

Then there’s the issue of tire degradation during the race, caused by overheating, which seems to affect Red Bull Racing cars more than McLaren's rivals (and others):

"In the race, the tires wear out faster than those of the cars around me, and that’s not ideal. I probably feel in great shape from a driving perspective, compared to previous years. I feel like I can go into qualifying and make the right laps, but in the race, so far, the basic rhythm is missing. And when that happens, there’s not much you can do".

Finally, in the press conference, Max Verstappen talks about his last qualifying lap, explaining where he lost those 0.034 seconds to Oscar Piastri:

"We’ve improved the car again, and it was much nicer to drive after yesterday. The only problem I had in qualifying was that the faster I tried to go, the more problems I had with tire overheating. This cost me some time already in the first attempt of Q3. In the second lap, when I tried to push harder, the first sector was great, but then I ruined the tires. I started to get more oversteer and then tried to hold the lap together. It’s a bit of a shame. We saw what George did with the medium tires, and I also felt better with that compound in FP3. But we didn’t have all the tires available in qualifying".

Several noteworthy incidents occurred during qualifying for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, starting with the one that, for a moment, caused the greatest collective concern: just minutes after the start of Q1, the qualifying session was interrupted due to a serious crash involving Yuki Tsunoda. At Variante Villeneuve, Tsunoda attacked the curb too aggressively, losing control of his RB21 and going off track. In the violent impact with the barriers, the Japanese driver's Red Bull Racing car even flipped over, but fortunately, Tsunoda got out of the car without needing assistance. Now, with complete reassurance regarding his condition, Tsunoda will have to make a difficult recovery from the very back of the starting grid (at the time of the incident, he hadn’t set a timed lap). Mistakes at Imola don’t forgive, and Tsunoda was the first not to make excuses, being very hard on himself:

"I was really stupid to push like that. We made a lot of changes to the car. Pushing that hard in the early stages without fully understanding the car wasn’t necessary. After the incident, I felt a lot of shame, disappointment, and frustration. I haven’t spoken to the mechanics yet, but the only thing I can do is apologize to them. Obviously, the car has significant damage, so the mechanics have a lot of work to do. Hopefully, the car will be ready tomorrow, but it’s really pointless for them".

Another unhappy driver was Andrea Kimi Antonelli, and it’s not surprising. His teammate, George Russell, secured the second row, posting the third-fastest time in qualifying. However, Antonelli, in his first Grand Prix in Italy, in front of the Imola crowd, couldn’t even make it to Q3, finishing a disappointing P13. A bitter ending, one that the rookie seems to struggle to explain:

"I didn’t feel anything working, even compared to FP3. I lost a lot of time, and it seemed really difficult to make up ground and improve. We need to check what happened, but today was really difficult because I had no confidence in the car".

Among the issues Antonelli faced was certainly the handling of the C6 tire, which caused problems for many of his peers. He struggled particularly with it:

"It’s definitely not an easy tire, and there were some differences compared to FP3. I didn’t have the same grip as in the last free practice session, and I need to understand what happened".

On a day filled with disappointments for the Italian teams, which also saw the shocking double elimination of Ferrari in Q2, Antonelli didn’t hide his disappointment:

"Definitely this result is very disappointing because I was hoping to do much better, especially after seeing FP3. Nothing worked, and I need to check why. When you don’t have confidence, it’s hard to find the limit, and today I really struggled. I didn’t feel the car beneath me, and it was difficult".

Scuderia Ferrari achieved a historic result in qualifying for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix at Imola, failing for the first time at this track to place even one car in the top-10. A result that is hard to accept. The team principal of Scuderia Ferrari, Frederic Vasseur, analyzing this disappointing outcome, says that he doesn’t share the same perspective as his drivers:

"What’s the problem? If I knew it now, I would have known it earlier, but it’s true that it’s a strange situation. However, I think it was a strange situation for everyone today with the tires. We must remember that if we look at the first phase of Q2, we were around sixth place and we set that time on used tires. But then with the new set, we couldn’t improve: others improved by three or four tenths, we didn’t, and we paid the price for it. As for the potential? I think it’s 50-50: because if we had done everything well, we probably would have finished fifth and sixth today. Execution is 50% of the potential, and the execution wasn’t right, because we need to make the car perform to its potential, and today it didn’t happen. We were fifth or sixth with used tires in the first set. This means we were capable of repeating the result, but we didn’t: this means the execution wasn’t good, but the potential is also not great, because the goal is not to be fifth or sixth. It’s a balance between both things, not just one prevailing over the other: both execution and potential are lacking".

The conversation then shifts to Aston Martin’s surprise success, with their drivers advancing through Q2 thanks to choosing to use Medium tires, and the ongoing discussion about updates that, apparently, have worked quite well for the Silverstone team:

"Aston Martin? They were the only team to complete all their qualifying runs with Medium tires, and in the end, they finished fifth with a used set of Medium tires, which is something strange. Updates? When we talk about updates, we’re always talking about tenths or hundredths of a second, certainly not half a second. What we can do with the tires, though, could probably give us half a second. That’s where we need to understand and find something extra".

Finally, the focus turns to the race:

"Our race pace yesterday was strong: that means we’ll be in the mix. However, it’s also true that overtaking here is very difficult, so we’ll need to stay sharp and probably take some strategic risks. We have thousands of fans here at the track, and this wasn’t what we expected for ourselves and for them, so we must apologize for that. But let’s focus on the future, let’s focus on tomorrow first, and let’s do our best for them and for us".

Charles Leclerc steps up to take responsibility. Even in the most difficult moment, after an incredible and humiliating double elimination in Q2 on the Italian track that bears the name of Ferrari's founder, he speaks to the fans, offering his apologies. He is perhaps the one with the least responsibility in this situation:

"First of all, I think the first thing we need to do is apologize. When there’s so much passion around a team and then we come and don’t even make it out of Q2, it hurts. It hurts a lot for us inside the team, believe me. A performance level like this is not acceptable, and we need to react".

His radio outburst ("My god, my god, my god") as soon as he realized they were eliminated has already gone viral on social media. Charles Leclerc thus confirms his extreme displeasure with the situation his team is facing:

"We’re clearly not at the level we should be. In qualifying, we’re not fast, even when we do good laps, we’re just nowhere, it hurts. What’s missing? Everything. I have no words, we were eliminated in Q2. The race? It would take a miracle, but we can’t expect miracles like that every Sunday. We just need to improve; we’re not at the level we should be".

Lewis Hamilton’s first qualifying as a Ferrari driver in Italy will certainly not be one to remember for a lifetime. Even though it was expected that the SF-25 would struggle on the hills of Imola, especially in the absence of real updates, and with the technical changes still to come, it was hard for even the most pessimistic fan to imagine both Maranello cars being eliminated in Q2 by the Aston Martins. A shocking failure, especially since this happened not only in the first Italian race but also on a circuit where overtaking is extremely difficult. That’s why starting from behind, despite the decent race pace shown in Friday’s practice, could complicate the team’s plans.

"It’s been a really tough day, and ultimately I feel very disappointed. I’m devastated that we couldn’t make it to Q3. It’s a shame because I felt like we had made a lot of progress this weekend, and the car generally seemed to be better. The brakes were better today, the balance was really good... Even the first attempt in Q2 was decent, but then, when we put on the new tires, for some reason, there was no grip, and we couldn’t improve. Everyone else, on the other hand, obviously did. We absolutely need to check this, but it’s devastating to see the disappointment of everyone working so hard in the garage. Being in Italy for the first home race but not making it to Q3 is a bittersweet feeling. The race? It’s a track where it’s very difficult to overtake, and I believe it will be tough to make up places tomorrow. We’ll have to fight to find a way to pass. Once we’re in the top 10, it’ll be even harder to gain positions".

The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix is characterized by the use of the Pirelli C6 tire for the first time, the softest compound among those offered by the Milanese company. The new tire did not deliver the expected results on the fast lap: it's a tire that, at least in qualifying, reached its peak performance very early. The C6 had never been used with the 2025 single-seaters, and during the post-season tests in Abu Dhabi, it was only tested by eight drivers. It's no surprise that many preferred the C5, a much more familiar compound: among them, George Russell, who sacrificed the Medium tire for the race (as he only had one set available) to use it in qualifying. A risk that paid off, as it allowed the British driver to start from third position on a track where overtaking is difficult.

"I’m happy with third place. The car was really strong, and I know I could have done better if I hadn’t made a small mistake in the first lap of Q3. The team made a great choice picking the C5 for our second run. During the lap, everything went in the right direction, and I was able to get the tires into the right window. Perhaps I could have done a little better time-wise because I had Sainz ahead of me in the first sector, but there wasn’t enough to challenge the two drivers ahead of us. We thought the medium tire would be fast, and it was the right choice. We had to make a small compromise for tomorrow, but it was worth it to get into the top three. I’m really happy with the performance because we were very close to the McLarens; it was truly a great afternoon. This track is one of the narrowest on the calendar, and tomorrow it will be really difficult to overtake. Fighting with the McLarens ahead of us won’t be easy, but we showed a good pace in our long runs during practice. If we can achieve similar performance in the race tomorrow, then we have a good chance of fighting for the podium".

The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix represents an opportunity for redemption for Lando Norris after his recent disappointing races. However, this race too risks becoming a disappointment for the British driver. Norris made several mistakes in Q3, losing ground to his teammate as well as to Max Verstappen and George Russell, who did well to take the risk with the Medium tire. The result for the British driver is a poor fourth place, especially considering that overtaking is notoriously difficult on the Imola circuit, and even McLaren’s superior race pace does not offer guarantees. For this reason, Lando Norris now hopes to make a good start and recover at least one position in the race.

"It’s going to be difficult, overtaking will be almost impossible. I just have to hope that the tires wear out quickly and that as a team, we do better than the others. Maybe that will give me a chance to attempt an undercut or overcut in the pit stops, but we haven’t done many long runs. We haven’t used the hard tire yet, so there are a lot of unanswered questions, but obviously, I’ll try to do my race and make up places. It will be a one-stop race, maybe two, but the start is my biggest opportunity, even though overtaking more than one person here isn’t very easy - the track is very narrow. I’m racing with drivers who take a lot of risks, and the season is long. I need to find the right balance".

One day on from an action-packed Qualifying session - which sees championship leader Piastri claim his third pole position of the season ahead of Verstappen and Russell - the paddock turns its attention to the main event: the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. Two changes are made to the starting order before the 63-lap race gets underway. Colapinto receives a one-place grid penalty for a rule breach during Qualifying, having entered the fast lane of the pit lane before a session restart time is confirmed following a red flag in Q1. This means that the Argentinian – in his first event back on the F1 grid since his nine-race stint as a substitute for Williams in 2024 - lines up in P16 for Alpine, surely hoping for a better Sunday after crashing out of Qualifying. Tsunoda, meanwhile, is set to start from the pit lane. After suffering a dramatic incident on Saturday that sees his car spin into the gravel and flip over during Q1, the Red Bull team makes changes to the Japanese driver’s RB21 under parc fermé conditions. As the cars assemble on the grid and the lights-out moment approaches, it is confirmed - after tyre blankets are removed - that most of the field starts on the medium compound, with Hamilton, Antonelli, Hulkenberg, Bearman, and Tsunoda opting for the hard tyres. At 3:00 p.m. local time, the formation lap is completed and the race gets underway in warm and dry conditions. Piastri launches well, but Verstappen is undeterred and pulls off an incredible overtake by squeezing through the Tamburello chicane to snatch the lead. Behind them, Russell gets a solid start but has to fend off Norris, while Leclerc gains a position to move into P10. As the action settles after the opening laps, Leclerc looks aggressive, scrapping with Gasly, who runs wide through the gravel. Hamilton also shows pace as he tries to pass Antonelli for P11, but the Mercedes holds firm. Up front, Verstappen builds a 1.6-second lead over Piastri by Lap 5, followed by Russell, Norris, Alonso, Sainz Jr., Albon, Stroll, Leclerc, and Hadjar. Despite Imola’s reputation for tricky overtaking, battles unfold throughout the pack. Norris closes in on Russell in the fight for third, while Alonso comes under pressure from Sainz. Norris tries a move on Lap 9 and again on Lap 10, briefly dipping his wheels on the grass. Russell radios in to report:

"I’m not sure how I’m going to make it to the target lap, pushing like this".

This gives hope to Alonso, who closes in further. Norris finally passes Russell through the chicane on Lap 11, setting his sights on Piastri, six seconds ahead. Russell dives into the pits for hard tyres, triggering a wave of early pit stops. Alonso also pits, with drama as flames flare up from his front brakes upon exit. Piastri pits on Lap 14 for hard tyres, but the stop is slow at 3.6 seconds. Leclerc benefits from the pit phase and emerges ahead of Russell, Sainz, and Alonso. Verstappen stays out, holding a 10-second lead over Norris, who has yet to pit, while Tsunoda tries to hold off Piastri for P10. The Australian gets through eventually, then passes Bearman and Colapinto to climb further. Leclerc takes P11 from Tsunoda, while Norris’s engineer tells him:

"The key for us is free air and going long".

Strategy dominates the discussion. Sainz, having already stopped while Albon has not, suggests a one-stop strategy. Hamilton, on a different plan, asks about an undercut, but traffic blocks the option. By Lap 25, Verstappen leads Norris by nine seconds, with Albon, Hadjar, Antonelli, Hamilton, Piastri, Hulkenberg, Leclerc, and Bearman rounding out the top 10. Only Piastri and Leclerc in that group have pitted. Piastri overtakes Hamilton for sixth and sets his sights on Antonelli. However, the early stop doesn't seem to be paying off. Norris pits on Lap 29 for hard tyres, rejoining in P7. Just then, yellow flags wave as Ocon pulls off with a Haas issue.

A Virtual Safety Car is called, playing perfectly into Verstappen’s hands. He dives into the pits and retains the lead after his stop. Many others pit under the VSC, including early-stoppers like Leclerc and Piastri, who both take fresh tyres. As the VSC ends, the Lap 33 order is: Verstappen, Norris, Albon, Piastri, Hadjar, Antonelli, Hamilton, Leclerc, Alonso, and Stroll. Albon’s race goes well, but Sainz clashes with Tsunoda while fighting for P13. Hamilton, benefitting from his VSC stop, passes Antonelli for sixth, then overtakes Hadjar for fifth. Piastri catches Albon and takes P3 at Turn 2. Alonso loses P10 to Hulkenberg as Aston Martin’s pace fades. Ferrari looks stronger now, with Leclerc passing Hadjar for P6. Gasly thanks his team as he passes Colapinto for P15 to chase Stroll. Alonso, meanwhile, calls himself the unluckiest driver in the world as he continues to slide. Home favourite Antonelli retires at Turn 8 on Lap 46, prompting a full Safety Car. Verstappen uses the opportunity to pit again, as does Norris - though his stop is slow, allowing Piastri to jump ahead. Albon also pits and returns to the track in fifth. The top 10 now reads: Verstappen, Piastri, Norris, Leclerc, Albon, Russell, Hamilton, Sainz, Hadjar, and Hulkenberg. Tyre life becomes a concern. Leclerc worries about his older tyres, and Norris notes Piastri’s 18-lap-old hards may not hold out. After Antonelli’s car is cleared, the Safety Car returns to the pits at the end of Lap 53, and Verstappen executes a strong restart. Verstappen pulls away by 1.5 seconds. Norris closes to within a second of Piastri, prompting possible strategy tension at McLaren. Albon challenges Leclerc, while Hamilton pressures Russell. Tsunoda overtakes Hulkenberg for P10. Hamilton gets past Russell for sixth, then passes Hadjar for fourth. Norris goes side-by-side with Piastri into Turn 2 and takes second. Albon fights Leclerc hard but runs wide, dropping to sixth. Hamilton moves up to fifth, then takes fourth from Leclerc. Albon catches up again and passes Leclerc on the final lap, while the stewards investigate the earlier incident. Leclerc asks over the radio:

"What did I do wrong?"

Up front, Verstappen crosses the line to claim his 65th career victory, 6.109 seconds ahead of Norris in second. Piastri finishes third, followed by Hamilton - in his first Italian race as a Ferrari driver - in fourth, dedicating his result to the Tifosi. Albon holds fifth ahead of Leclerc, while Russell scores points in seventh. Sainz takes P8, Hadjar ninth, and Tsunoda secures the final point in tenth. When the opportunity arises, Max Verstappen is always ready to deliver. Just like in Suzuka - another track where overtaking is notoriously difficult - Verstappen once again made the difference at Imola, securing his second Grand Prix victory of the season. With this win, he reduces the gap in the championship standings to 22 points, still led by Oscar Piastri. The battle between the two at the start was arguably the most spectacular and certainly the most decisive moment of the entire race. After a less-than-perfect start that seemed to relegate him to third, the Red Bull Racing driver seized an opening brilliantly and took the lead.

"I’m happy with what I did today. The overtake in Turn 2 was really nice, I liked it - it put me in first place, but then we didn’t know if we had the pace. Instead, the car was in a good window. I managed the tires a bit better than usual, we unlocked the pace and had a bit more control over tire management. So we were able to respond to all of McLaren’s challenges".

Verstappen also compared the race to Miami, pointing out that without proper race pace, even a brilliant move at the start wouldn’t have been enough to secure victory:

"In Miami, I had a clear track at the start, but I didn’t have the pace. You always need the pace, even if you’re leading. For sure, following another car is tough, but in Miami they passed me with no issues - and if I hadn’t had the pace today, they would have passed me here too. Today is a much more promising day for us. We had a much better balance. As I said, it’s very encouraging".

Despite these positive feelings, the Dutch driver warned that things might be very different in Monte Carlo next week:

"You also have to look at the track layout. Here there were many high-speed corners that really suit us. Monaco is the opposite, so it’ll be more complicated. I’ll probably enjoy the view more, but we’ll see. After that, we head to Barcelona, and there it’ll be more realistic for us to be competitive. We also learned a lot about the setup this weekend, and I hope we’ll show this kind of pace more often".

Clear-headed, calm, analytical. Andrea Stella does not lose his remarkable ability to analyze even after a Grand Prix that ended with some regrets for McLaren: for the second time this season, the British team did not win and had to concede to Max Verstappen, who finished first with the RB21, ahead of the two Woking team drivers—Lando Norris in second and Oscar Piastri only third. The first hiccup for the current World Championship leader came at the very first corner, when Piastri was caught off guard by an incredible move from Verstappen. Entering the Tamburello chicane effectively in third, Verstappen exited it in the lead. Speaking with the media, Andrea Stella ruled out the notion that Piastri had been too passive, instead giving credit to Verstappen and Red Bull Racing for their performance at the Imola circuit:

"At Imola, you have to be very careful when trying to attack or defend down to the last millimeter, because the consequences are much more severe than what can happen in Saudi Arabia or Miami, where you have asphalt run-offs. You have to race with your head. What surprised us a bit was that Red Bull had race pace today at least as competitive as ours. So while in other races you might afford not to fight down to the last millimeter - risking not finishing the race - and then rely on your pace to recover, here we didn’t have enough pace to make up ground. Congratulations to Red Bull, they were fast, and congratulations to Max. We tried many ways to beat them, but none were enough".

The Team Principal, with great honesty, admitted that McLaren was lucky towards the end of the race with the deployment of the Safety Car:

"The Safety Car erased the gap and gave us a chance to attack, but the reality is we didn’t have the pace to make it work. Even when Lando managed to overtake Oscar after the restart, Max kept setting very competitive lap times. Overtaking Max on track today was impossible. So I wouldn’t talk about bad luck, but rather competitiveness".

On that note, the Italian manager hinted at important updates coming for the MCL39:

"We are working to increase our competitiveness and plan to bring some upgrades to the track. Red Bull introduced updates for this race and will bring more in the next one, Aston Martin did the same—no one is sitting still. We need to catch up too, and it will take a few more races to bring in some important novelties. World Championship? As always, we’re working to make it boring, but we’re not quite good enough at that yet".

Max Verstappen won at Imola, and not many had predicted that before the first European weekend of the season, not even after Friday’s Free Practice sessions. But thanks to a brilliant qualifying, a masterful start, and a race pace that even surprised McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella, the Dutch driver claimed another trophy and is now just 22 points away from the top of the World Championship standings. At the end of the race, Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner first paid tribute to Max Verstappen, who once again - through sheer brilliance - reversed the outcome of the Grand Prix:

"The move at the start? It’s typical Max - if he sees a gap, he goes for it decisively. In that case, he was either going to win the race or end it right there. It was a fantastic corner. I have to compliment Oscar, because he gave him just enough space. After that, the race was under control. Our pace was very strong. Strategy and the pit stop all went really well. Stella surprised by our pace? We were also surprised at how fast we were in the race. We know how strong they are. But today we definitely had our best race".

So he adds:

"Turnaround since Friday? I think that’s the strength of our team. Everyone works together. We are very united and strong. The engineers, the staff - everyone does a great job. Max is an incredible driver, and everyone works hard, both at the factory and at the track, to deliver performance".

Charles Leclerc showed his full talent with a great comeback at Imola. The Monegasque driver climbed from P11 to P6, after a race full of daring overtakes, tenacious defense, and wheel-to-wheel battles. However, he was penalized by unfortunate timing with the VSC and Safety Car, and had to give up a position to Alex Albon at the end while under investigation. Still, his performance certainly thrilled the Ferrari fans.

"Things didn’t go my way, and that’s really frustrating. I know I put my heart into it, I know I gave it my all… We had two Safety Cars at the worst possible times. For the second one, I only had one set of Softs left and I wanted to put them on, but Lewis changed his mind and pitted, and I didn’t know how many positions I’d lose waiting behind in the pit lane. In the end, I have no regrets, because I think I might have helped Lewis a bit. I gave it my all until the end. I understand the journalists’ questions, because every time we go in front of the cameras, we say we need to understand. I think that’s common in Formula 1. We are trying a lot of things in the simulator, but we haven’t found the solution yet. We’re working really hard. And yes, I think I have to keep saying we need to understand - even if maybe I should stop saying that. Do I still have faith in this group after 7 years? Yes, I do. We all need to have faith and keep pushing to the end. I’ll keep doing my best, and I hope it will pay off".

After the sporting disappointment of a double Q2 elimination, which Leclerc himself called unacceptable, Scuderia Ferrari managed to slightly redeem itself at the end of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. This allowed Team Principal Frédéric Vasseur to breathe a small sigh of relief thanks to the encouraging performance of the SF-25, which suddenly showed enough pace for Hamilton and Leclerc to at least fight for the podium. This was Vasseur’s assessment:

"This weekend we found ourselves in a situation not too different from Jeddah or Miami. Even there, we were faster on Sunday while struggling in qualifying. We were 0.2-0.3s behind Max, and the same happened in Miami and again this weekend. We’re lacking performance over a single lap, and clearly, that’s something we need to work on. We’re not doing anything magical during the race, but we do seem to be in a better position. Today we got the most out of our potential. But at the same time, we’re not champions, we’re not winners, and we’re absolutely not where we want to be. We need to assess what’s working and what isn’t. The positives are race performance, strategies, execution. Everything went quite well today. But clearly the negative is our qualifying performance. That’s been obvious this weekend, in Miami, and in Jeddah. We need to push hard on that aspect, especially considering we’ll be in Monaco next week".

Finally, he also commented on the strategy decision not to pit for new Soft tires at the end of the race:

"A lot depends on how long it takes to recover the car. 13 laps were too many for the Softs, but you can’t predict whether it’ll take two, four, or six laps to resume the race. Of course, with eight laps left, you might say it was possible to try the Softs, but it was already a borderline decision. Charles decided to stay out and I think it was the right call. But overall, the whole Safety Car situation didn’t work in Charles’s favor. The first VSC came too early, and the full Safety Car came at a time when he was going very strong. Still, we need to make the best out of the situations we face, and I think Ferrari did just that today".

A downcast look gives way to emotional smiles: Lewis Hamilton is used to fighting for higher achievements than a fourth-place finish, but especially in Formula 1, joys are relative. Given how the situation unfolded, the 20 points secured by Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc are a great result. In Imola, the British driver played it cool in the early stages, but after the Virtual Safety Car, everything fell in his favor, allowing him to optimize his pit stop and have fresh tires for the final phase of the race. Taking advantage of the Safety Car brought out for a throttle issue on Andrea Kimi Antonelli's Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton pitted to switch to fresh Hard tires and prepared for an attacking finish, making quick work of George Russell, Alex Albon, and even Charles Leclerc. Had the Safety Car period lasted fewer laps, Hamilton might even have been able to challenge for a podium, as he was just 1.4 seconds behind Oscar Piastri, who was also struggling with his tires.

"The car gave me great feelings, the team did a fantastic job, and I think we’re slowly getting there. Riccardo did a fantastic job communicating with me, I kept my calm, and he was calm as well. The whole team remained calm, even in executing the strategy and the pit stop. Overall, it was an exceptional race. I was hoping for a few more laps because maybe I could have even made it to the podium. I’m really happy, the spirit of the fans was incredible. A big thank you to everyone who came here, it was really special for me to see the sea of red. I didn’t know what to expect, I don’t know how many people came, but I think in the end there was a huge crowd, one of the biggest we’ve seen here. Seeing so many people, with a huge Ferrari flag at Turn 7, it reminded me of the old days when I used to watch Michael Schumacher race. It was really great to see, a unique experience that I’ll always keep in my heart. And I definitely didn’t expect to finish in fourth place today, starting from so far behind".

Even in Imola, the much-awaited victory didn't come, but Lando Norris - whose wait has now lasted for six Grands Prix, since his only win in Melbourne during the season's opening race - definitely leaves the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari with a few more smiles, after beating his teammate, Oscar Piastri, on track and thus reducing the gap to the top of the standings, having maximized his opportunities despite a difficult qualifying. In this sense, second place is almost seen as a victory.

"I think second place was the maximum we could achieve. Max was fast, the Red Bull was fast even in the final stint. It was a long race with lots of options coming and going, but I think second place was the best we could have done, and I’m happy with that. Even though we started on pole, Verstappen was too fast for us".

There’s also a comment on the intense but fair battle with his teammate, Oscar Piastri, who still tried to defend towards the end:

"I had fresher tires compared to him, but I wasn’t expecting anything from the pit wall. It was still a tough battle, fought until Turn 1… But that’s how it should be. Obviously, I lost time, and he lost time in that moment too, but that’s what we have to do if we’re fighting for the title. Because if you try to make someone happy, you inevitably upset the other. That’s just how things go, I think it was handled well, and the team did a good job. I’m very satisfied with my races, and I’ve been throughout the season. I feel like I’m still very strong, but it’s true that my results on Saturdays are making life too difficult for me on Sundays. So far, I’ve always had to react, take risks with overtakes. But I’m working harder than I should and more than I need to, so I’m confident, happy, and positive, even though I’m unhappy with my qualifying performances. I’m working on it as much as possible, but it still takes time".

George Russell’s streak of consecutive top-5 finishes comes to an end after six Grands Prix and two Sprint Races. After a fantastic qualifying session, where he secured a brilliant third place on the grid at the end of Q3, the Mercedes driver experienced a rather disappointing race day. Following a good start and the illusion of moving up to second at the Tamburello chicane, the British driver's race gradually worsened. At one point, due in part to the Virtual Safety Car, Russell even dropped out of the top ten. He eventually recovered to finish in seventh place, which allows him to retain fourth in the standings.

"Today was a tough day and, obviously, seventh place is not what we were aiming for. From the beginning, I had issues with the rear end of the car and couldn’t find a good rhythm. With relatively high track temperatures, we suffered from rear axle overheating. It was difficult to keep the tires in the right window, and the pace reflected that. We couldn’t keep up with the front runners, so it was a case of damage limitation".

There’s no time to dwell on the result, however, as the next race weekend is just a week away: the Monaco Grand Prix, where Russell hopes to shine thanks to the W16’s impressive one-lap speed this season:

"We’ll take what we’ve learned this weekend and shift focus quickly to Monaco. I’m looking forward to racing in the Principality. This season, we’ve been strong and consistent in qualifying with some really fast laps, and that will help us next week. Monaco is one of those races where Saturday is crucial, and I’m confident we can do well there".

Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s first Formula 1 race at Imola turned into a true sporting nightmare. After already struggling in qualifying and being eliminated in Q2, the young Mercedes driver was forced to retire his W16 on lap 46 due to a throttle issue, marking his first-ever retirement from a Formula 1 race.

"We got lucky with the Virtual Safety Car and, to be honest, I had some hope, but after a couple of laps I started having throttle issues, and eventually, everything shut off. Obviously, it’s a shame, but these things happen. At the end of the day, I think the overall pace wasn’t bad, but naturally, with the issue, I started losing power and there was nothing more I could do. This weekend was a learning experience, and I’ll see what I can do from my side to come back stronger in Monaco".

It was a weekend the driver felt not just on track, but also mentally and emotionally, using the Grand Prix as a valuable experience ahead of upcoming races:

"It was definitely a very intense weekend mentally and emotionally. I think I did a lot of things well, but I don’t think I did a good job managing my energy. I felt that this really affected my driving, because mentally I didn’t have much energy left. That’s definitely a good lesson learned, especially ahead of my home race next weekend".

Despite everything, Antonelli thanked his fans at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari for their support, especially after the retirement:

"The fan support was fantastic. Even during the difficult moments, they made this weekend special. Even when I was riding my scooter back to the garage, they were all cheering for me, and it was a really nice moment. Thank you to all of them, because even though it was a tough weekend where nothing went right, I really felt the incredible support".

#1132 2025 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix

#2025, Fulvio Conti,

There is great anticipation for Franco Colapinto’s return to Formula 1, as he replaces Jack Doohan in the Alpine team ahead of the Emilia Romagna Gran